Brake-operating mechanism.



No. 660,647. Patented Oct. 30, I900.

J. E. uonlmun. BRAKE OPERATING MECHANISM.

(Application filed July 29, 1899.) (N o M o d a I I) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 660.647. Patented 0st. 30, I900. J. E. NORMAND.

BRAKE OPERATING I IECI-IANISM.

(Application filed m 29, 1899.) no Model.) 2 Shaets--$ heet 2.

' Fill-u mini-Link? UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH NORMAND, OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK.

BRAKE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,647, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed July 29, 1899. Serial No. 725,452. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH E. NORMAND, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of VVatertown, Jefierson county, New York,have invented certain new-and useful Improvements in Brake-Operating Mechanism, of which the/following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in brake-operating mechanism, and is particularly applicable to air-brakes and to the style of brakes known as toggle or cam brakes. ln brakes of this description it has been the custom hithertoto suspend the shoe from two separate points of support and by two independent links or levers. The first or main point of support has been the lever, which is operated by the cams or toggles to set the brake and to which the brake-shoe is pivoted at its rear. A second link has been provided at a point on the frame of the car farther forward than the support for the opcrating-lever and pivotally connected to the brake-shoe at a point approximately as far from the pivotal connection of the operatinglever therewith as is the distance of the point of the support of the link from that of the lever upon the frame. The result of this has not been satisfactory. The brake-shoe is apt to wear more at one end than at the other, and if the shoe be brought up to the wheelface uniformly there is no compensation for the inequality of wear. To obviate this, numerous attempts have been made to provide a take-up. For instance, means have been provided whereby the link might be lengthened or shortened, and means have also been arranged for adjusting the point of support. Such means, however, required attention and called for a manual operation before any compensation could be effected.

In carrying out my invention I have provided but a single point of support for the brake-shoenamely, the operating-leverand have dispensed with the auxiliary link entirely. I have provided a spring, to be hereinafter more fully described, which is arranged to hold the shoe initially in the correct position, but which when the brake is applied is flexible enough to permit the brake To prevent such movement from taking place, [00

to assume its correct relation with the face of the wheel.

My invention further consists in a simple and novel means for returning the brake to its operative position when not in operation and in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts, as shall be hereinafter more fully set forth.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a brake embodying my invention, certain parts being in section and other parts removed in order to better illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with one brakeshoe removed. Fig. 3 is a detail view 'of the spring employed.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

Reference character 4 designates a portion of the frame of a car-truck, and 5 5 the wheels of the said truck.

6 designates a brake-operating mechanism consisting of an air-cylinder secured to the said frame and connected on its upper side with a suitable compressed-air supply. 7 is the piston mounted therein and arranged to be driven forward by the action of the compressed air when the same is admitted to the cylinder.

8 8 designate operating levers or links pivotally secured to points of the support upon the frame, as at 9 9.

1O 10 designate brakeshoes pivotally secured to the said links or levers at 11 11.

12 12 designate cam or toggle connections which are secured at one of their ends to the.

brake-shoe and at the other of their ends to connecting-links 13 l3,attached to the piston 7.

When the piston 7 is driven forward by the action of compressed air in the cylinder 6, it carries with it toggle connections 12 12 and through lovers 8 8 forces brake-shoes 1U 10 against the-face of the wheels. The pivotal connection 11 between the operating-levers and the brake-shoes would, were not other means provided to prevent it, permit the shoes to partially rotate upon their pivots.

I have provided a spring 14, secured at one end to the lever and bearing at its free end against the rear of the brake-shoe. The tension of the spring is so arranged that it shall hold the brake-shoe away from the face of the wheel when out of operative position. When brought into contact with the wheel-face, the bIPLkQ'ShOG will present an even surface thereto and the spring will permit the shoe to give to any inequalities. Furthermore, as: the shoe Wears it will permit the same to have sufficient play around its pivotal support, so as to automatically compensate for such wear. The spring is arranged to hold the brakeshoe in such a position that its lower end is farther away from the face of the Wheel than its upper end, so that at its lower end there is sufficient space for any upward movement of-th'e parts produced by the spring supporting the truck while the caris in motion Without bringing the brake-shoe into contact with the wheel, and thus preventing wear on the parts while they are out of operation. To return the brake to its inoperative position, I preferably provide a lever, as 15, pivoted to a bracket 16, secured tothe frame 4, said 1ever connected at its opposite end through a link 17 with the piston 7.

18 designates a coil-spring mounted in a housing forming part of the bracket 16 and arranged to surround and bear against one end of the rod 19. ally connected to the lever 15. The normal tension of the spring operates to lift the lever 15, and hence the piston 7, and to return the toggle or cam levers, the operatinglevers, and the brake-shoes to their inoperative position.

adjusted by means of the nuts on the ends of The said rod 19 is pivot- The tension of the spring 18 maybe the rod 19, as shown.

What I claim is- 1. The combination with a brake mechanism comprising brake-shoes,brake-levers upon which said shoes are mounted, a cylinder and piston, toggle or cam lever operatively connected with said piston,and arranged between itand said brake-levers, of another lever independently pivoted to a fixed point of support, a spring operating to press the lever in one direction, and a link connecting the lever with the piston or the piston-operated parts.

2. The combination with a brake mechanism comprising brake-shoes,brake-levers upon which said shoes are mounted, a cylinder and piston, toggle or cam levers operatively connected with said piston and arranged between it and said brake-levers, of another lever independently pivoted to a fixed point of support, a rod pivot-ally secured to said lever, a spring-housing through which said rod passes, a spring arranged in said housing and surrounding said rod, said spring bearing at one end against said lever, an adjustable nut arranged upon the free end of the said rod and bearingagainstthe opposite end ofsaid spring, and a link pivotally connected to the piston or the piston-operated parts, and to the lever.

Signed by meat New York, N. Y., this 26th day of July, 1899.

JOSEPH E. NORMAND.

Witnesses:

FRANK H. COTHREN, ALBERT K. NEWMAN. 

